I. History

Field pea (Pisum sativum L.), (Garden and canning peas are classified as P. sativum; however, the field pea is classified botanically as P. arvense.), a native of Southwest Asia, was among the first crops cultivated by man. Wild field pea can still be found in Afghanistan, Iran, and Ethiopia. It is a cool season crop and is widely grown in the cooler temperate zones of the world. World wide dry pea is grown on about 22 million acres annually and total production exceeds 11 million (U.S) tons.

China and Russia each produce about one-third of the world dry pea crop. India and the United States also lead in pea production. The dry pea was grown on over 1,1 million acres in Saskatchewan in 1994. The average yield in Saskatchewan is about 1,600 pounds per acre. However, higher yields may be obtained if proper agronomic practices are followed. Canadian farmers planted 2.1 million acres in 1997, putting dry pea into major crop status.

Field pea has long been grown in the United States and historically was one of Wisconsin's best paying cash crops. In 1909, 78,000 acres were planted and part of eastern and northeastern Wisconsin led the country in field pea production. In 1998, there were approximately 300,000 acres of field pea grown in the United States. The largest acreages of field pea are in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, North Dakota, and Minnesota. Cultivation of field pea has lead to a gradual separation of types: those grown for vegetable use, those grown for seed and fodder, and the edible podded types, which have evolved most recently.